The Utica area has hosted two great moments this month in the world of sports:
The International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship playing in Utica’s new Nexus Center, and now Venus Williams, formerly ranked the world’s number one female tennis player, being interviewed at Hamilton College. Williams spent much of her career fighting for women to recieve eqaul prize money in her sport and eqaul coverage, and an event like Thursday night’s has shown the results of her labor.
At 7:00pm on a rainy Thursday night towards the end of the semester, students and others began streaming to the squash arena hosting Venus.
A crowd of thousands took precious time away from studying and awaited the legend.
Williams entered the stage dressed in a suit jacket over an athletic jumpsuit, as if always the consummate athlete always prepared for a match within a moment’s notice.
Her interviewer, a former athlete herself, gave a mix of interesting questions that allowed Williams to charm the audience. In this, it became clear that she’s not only spent a lifetime on the court, but also in public speaking. Primarily, she talked about how her success as an athlete led to her success in other avenues of life.
Of course, it was her parents, namely her father Richard, who can be credited with instilling the drive and discipline that allowed her to gain athletic success.
When asked about it, Venus stated that her father only encouraged her to reach her potential, not win necessarily.
It wasn’t about winning or losing, just doing her best, and that even when losing matches, Richard would comfort and tell her how proud he was.
Perhaps her most quotable moment was when speaking towards her diagnosis.”You can’t defeat something until you accept it.” she said calmly but seriously. In 2011, she was diagnosed with a chronic systemic autoimmune disease where healthy tissue is destroyed. It caused joint pain that impacted her ability to function and play, and yet she managed to go on to take Gold in the 2012 Doubles in the Olympics, and win the Australian Doubles Wimbledon in 2016. Truly, she has demonstrated the power of will.
And beyond her will, she demonstrated her wit and charm. The evening ended with bringing the house down when asked about her love of karaoke and gave her opinion on the do’s and dont’s.
“Don’t do Bohemian. It’s too long, you and your friends are drunk. Don’t do journey. You can’t sing. Stop believing”
The crowd died laughing to that.
Overall, it was a memorable evening helping to create a remarkable era in history when people, men and women alike, view women’s sports with the same enthusiasm as men’s.
